State: QLD

Age: 27

Occupation: Criminal Statistician

As a child, Tessa admits her sweet tooth took over her palate. Self-taught from the age of six, she loved fudge, toffee and sweet treats, likening her tastes to carnival fete foods. But the sweet tooth was lost over the years and she now describes her food style as classic, with a twist, enjoying showcasing a variety of savoury foods with bold, bright flavours.

Born in Lower Hutt on the North Island in New Zealand, her family moved to Brisbane in 2000 where Tessa graduated from high school eight years later. She studied Business at TAFE before moving to the Queensland University of Technology, where she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Accounting in 2011. After 18 months in Melbourne, she returned to Brisbane to work as an accountant, before moving into her current role working with crime and justice data for the state government.

The youngest of four children, Tessa says her Mum is a great cook, teaching her the ropes and basics in the kitchen including big family roasts.

Hoping her strengths with seafood and understanding of flavour balances will help in the competition, Tessa says she is confident working with various proteins and herbs and spices. And with her early love of sweets behind her, she now considers her weakness may be working with lots of intricate elements in a dessert.

A big fan of Rick Stein, Maggie Beer and Gordon Ramsay, Tessa hopes to open a farm café when her MasterChef journey comes to an end, focussing on seasonal produce in the south-east Queensland hinterland.

Supported at home by her carpenter boyfriend of three years Eliot who encouraged her to apply, Tessa says she’ll also miss her trips to the beach, mountain walking, camping and fishing.

Tessa was also seen in Season 12 (Back To Win) of MasterChef Australia.